cinemabon
03-16-2004, 02:34 AM
Antonioni's film has all the charm of the mid-1960's. A music video, without the music. Yes, that "mod" look was in, wasn't it.
This film had so much impact on so many filmmakers that even to this day; many scenes from this film, which are repeatedly used so often by other filmmakers, have become cliches; like Black Nuns wearing white robes running into mimes (if you the significance of those images, then you either scored a 99 or higher on your film theory test, or you spend far too much time inside a theater, home or otherwise!)
The fashion photographer, man about town, drives a Rolls Royce (which he carelessly parks where ever he wants), is sexually ambivalent, and plays coy with everyone he meets, was my idol. Imagine sitting around with a very young and sexy topless Vanessa Redgrave, smoking pot, drinking wine, and being just plain cool. Hemmings was more than idyllic, he was profound and vivacious at the same time, being the embodiment of a new generation of artists, willing to try anything for sensation. His character embodied this spirit of that trendy and emerging time. Who knew that just a few years later, that emerging entity would switch to anger and violence, from peace, love and dope... man.
Going beyond the dialogue, you have Antonioni's pacing, his sense of camera, shooting inside very tight spaces, and taking his camera up close... very close up.
Long before todays filmmaker discovered they could move the camera and not "lock it down", Antonioni was shooting great stuff, much of it captured on Blow-up.
We can fault the film for being slightly dated and corny at times, (the mimes are SO Italian!) but no one can denied the sense of drama created by the still frames of a few photographs. No soaring violins. No marching drums. Just the wind.... and a dead body.
This film had so much impact on so many filmmakers that even to this day; many scenes from this film, which are repeatedly used so often by other filmmakers, have become cliches; like Black Nuns wearing white robes running into mimes (if you the significance of those images, then you either scored a 99 or higher on your film theory test, or you spend far too much time inside a theater, home or otherwise!)
The fashion photographer, man about town, drives a Rolls Royce (which he carelessly parks where ever he wants), is sexually ambivalent, and plays coy with everyone he meets, was my idol. Imagine sitting around with a very young and sexy topless Vanessa Redgrave, smoking pot, drinking wine, and being just plain cool. Hemmings was more than idyllic, he was profound and vivacious at the same time, being the embodiment of a new generation of artists, willing to try anything for sensation. His character embodied this spirit of that trendy and emerging time. Who knew that just a few years later, that emerging entity would switch to anger and violence, from peace, love and dope... man.
Going beyond the dialogue, you have Antonioni's pacing, his sense of camera, shooting inside very tight spaces, and taking his camera up close... very close up.
Long before todays filmmaker discovered they could move the camera and not "lock it down", Antonioni was shooting great stuff, much of it captured on Blow-up.
We can fault the film for being slightly dated and corny at times, (the mimes are SO Italian!) but no one can denied the sense of drama created by the still frames of a few photographs. No soaring violins. No marching drums. Just the wind.... and a dead body.